Off Topic International Break Thread
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About the same as Leicester winning the Premier League. Next season.
69% possession, 38 attempts at goal by Germany.
But I didn't think England were outplayed by a margin those stats might suggest.
Penalties
But I didn't think England were outplayed by a margin those stats might suggest.
Penalties
England lose to Germany on penalties.
In other news, the Pope recently announced his conversion to Catholicism.
In other news, the Pope recently announced his conversion to Catholicism.
I don't think that the U21s are as good as their U20s colleagues as a team. Lewis. Cook and Josh Onomah were a massive part of the younger team's success. This team has some good players but lacks for that engine room and grit.
STOP PRESS*******""STOP PRESS********STOP PRESS*********STOP PRESS
"Bear ****s In Woods"
There was nobody to win the ball back and recycle it once Chalobah knackered himself out.
I don't think that the balance of the team was quite right for most of the games, either.
No disgrace in losing to a very good German side, of course, but Boothroyd seemed a bit too old school, for me.
I think another recurring issue with under-21 football is the law allowing for players over 23 years old to compete. You end up with a group of players who are pretty experienced at top flight level and used to playing alongside far better players on a weekly basis, but at the same time are the guys you turn to to make things happen.
Mawson, Chambers, Ward-Prowse and Redmond looked a class apart at times, but seemed to lack the nous to 'run' the game for the simple reason that they have become accustomed to other people doing it for them at PL level. That isn't the case at U20 level as the players running things will have done so for their teams' youth squads for years leading up to the tournament. Hence Onomah, Cook and Maitland-Niles running the show from the midfield.
The real issue with these 23 year olds is that in the modern era, if they were really all that they'd have been called up to the senior squad already. That they haven't is perhaps indicative of the fact that they are a bit 'stuck' in between the levels.
No @remembercolinlee. The traitor.
As expected, it turns out The FA's high and mighty anti-corruption message after missing out on the 2018 World Cup has been undermined by...The FA indulging in massive corruption.
While much is being made of the England friendly against Hailand being arranged for the sole purpose of trying to get their vote to support the bid and subsequent flounce out of the match when that vote didn't materialise (as well as the rumours that one delegate was offered an invite to Wills & Kate's wedding) there's this section of the Garcia Report (on page 100, for those who want to double check)
Ms. Bateman notified Mr. Warner on June 24, 2009 that the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club would soon offer Mr. Sebro a summer job. Mr. Warner expressed gratitude, but also pressured England 2018 to continue monitoring Mr. Sebro’s employment situation. On June 30, Ms. Bateman explained to Mr. Warner, at his request, that the Tottenham job entailed one-week stints in various departments, to which Mr. Warner responded, “I thank you for this beginning, Jane, and do look fwd to a continuation in other areas and/or clubs.” Mr. Warner’s gratitude was short-lived. On July 9, he sent Lord Triesman an email, copied to Mr. Anson and Ms. Bateman, bearing the subject line “Richard Sebro”:
Chairman, I do wish to register my profound disappointment with the FA re its failure to assist Richard Sebro with gainful employment for a protracted period of time as I have kindly requested of the FA. A promise of a few days here and a few days there is not what I had in mind Chairman and then even that has been long in coming. While my disappointment is profound, possibly I should not have been surprised and do wish to advise that if this simple request of mine proves to be a difficulty of any kind to achieve I will understand.
The bid team quickly sought to reassure Mr. Warner of its commitment to helping Mr. Sebro. Ms. Bateman responded first, later on July 9, and explained that she was writing “on behalf of the Chairman, who is currently on leave.” She advised Mr. Warner that “I have spoken to Richard and he tells me that he is more than happy,” and she promised to “keep in regular touch with him to make sure that this remains the case.” That seemed to mollify Mr. Warner, who responded, “Jane, if Richard is happy, then so am I.” Lord Triesman nevertheless replied to Mr. Warner and the others the next day to register his willingness to address Mr. Warner’s complaints about Mr. Sebro’s employment. “I hope this is now Ok and I will ask Jane to keep me posted,” Lord Triesman wrote. “Let me know if you feel there’s a continuing problem.”
Here's the short version: by arranging for the son of Jack Warner to have jobs at both Spurs and Aston Villa, The FA almost literally pimped out the clubs in order to try and gain support for their pitiful World Cup bid, a bid based on "We invented football, gimme gimme gimme" as well as mortgaging the futures of clubs such as Nottingham Forest and Plymouth Argyle by having them expand their stadiums grossly beyond their usual attendances (sort of like the issues that befell several Portuguese clubs after a similar brilliant ide for Euro 2004) - and the conclusion, on page 151, directly points the finger at them by saying...
It is clear from the above that Mr. Warner made numerous improper demands on England 2018, ranging from employment for friends, “development money,” sponsorships, and other benefits. Some of these demands were met and some were not. There is a prima facie case that Mr. Warner violated the [FIFA Code of Ethics].
... In many cases England 2018 accommodated or at least attempted to satisfy, the improper requests made by these Executive Committee members. While the bidding process itself, and the attitude of entitlement and expectation demonstrated by certain Executive Committee members in the exchanges discussed in detail above, place the bid team in a difficult position that fact does not excuse all of the conduct.
It is worth pointing out that no officials from Spurs nor Villa are mentioned anywhere in the report - which means Levy missed a trick by not blackmailing The FA to get competent referees for all of our matches for the past few seasons...
While much is being made of the England friendly against Hailand being arranged for the sole purpose of trying to get their vote to support the bid and subsequent flounce out of the match when that vote didn't materialise (as well as the rumours that one delegate was offered an invite to Wills & Kate's wedding) there's this section of the Garcia Report (on page 100, for those who want to double check)
Ms. Bateman notified Mr. Warner on June 24, 2009 that the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club would soon offer Mr. Sebro a summer job. Mr. Warner expressed gratitude, but also pressured England 2018 to continue monitoring Mr. Sebro’s employment situation. On June 30, Ms. Bateman explained to Mr. Warner, at his request, that the Tottenham job entailed one-week stints in various departments, to which Mr. Warner responded, “I thank you for this beginning, Jane, and do look fwd to a continuation in other areas and/or clubs.” Mr. Warner’s gratitude was short-lived. On July 9, he sent Lord Triesman an email, copied to Mr. Anson and Ms. Bateman, bearing the subject line “Richard Sebro”:
Chairman, I do wish to register my profound disappointment with the FA re its failure to assist Richard Sebro with gainful employment for a protracted period of time as I have kindly requested of the FA. A promise of a few days here and a few days there is not what I had in mind Chairman and then even that has been long in coming. While my disappointment is profound, possibly I should not have been surprised and do wish to advise that if this simple request of mine proves to be a difficulty of any kind to achieve I will understand.
The bid team quickly sought to reassure Mr. Warner of its commitment to helping Mr. Sebro. Ms. Bateman responded first, later on July 9, and explained that she was writing “on behalf of the Chairman, who is currently on leave.” She advised Mr. Warner that “I have spoken to Richard and he tells me that he is more than happy,” and she promised to “keep in regular touch with him to make sure that this remains the case.” That seemed to mollify Mr. Warner, who responded, “Jane, if Richard is happy, then so am I.” Lord Triesman nevertheless replied to Mr. Warner and the others the next day to register his willingness to address Mr. Warner’s complaints about Mr. Sebro’s employment. “I hope this is now Ok and I will ask Jane to keep me posted,” Lord Triesman wrote. “Let me know if you feel there’s a continuing problem.”
Here's the short version: by arranging for the son of Jack Warner to have jobs at both Spurs and Aston Villa, The FA almost literally pimped out the clubs in order to try and gain support for their pitiful World Cup bid, a bid based on "We invented football, gimme gimme gimme" as well as mortgaging the futures of clubs such as Nottingham Forest and Plymouth Argyle by having them expand their stadiums grossly beyond their usual attendances (sort of like the issues that befell several Portuguese clubs after a similar brilliant ide for Euro 2004) - and the conclusion, on page 151, directly points the finger at them by saying...
It is clear from the above that Mr. Warner made numerous improper demands on England 2018, ranging from employment for friends, “development money,” sponsorships, and other benefits. Some of these demands were met and some were not. There is a prima facie case that Mr. Warner violated the [FIFA Code of Ethics].
... In many cases England 2018 accommodated or at least attempted to satisfy, the improper requests made by these Executive Committee members. While the bidding process itself, and the attitude of entitlement and expectation demonstrated by certain Executive Committee members in the exchanges discussed in detail above, place the bid team in a difficult position that fact does not excuse all of the conduct.
It is worth pointing out that no officials from Spurs nor Villa are mentioned anywhere in the report - which means Levy missed a trick by not blackmailing The FA to get competent referees for all of our matches for the past few seasons...
There is not much comfort in that report. However it is thought that the FA has come clean in admitting the (admittedly very bad) extent of their dealings, while other FAs have not. There is no "major" evidence in the report against the Russians for example. But on the other hand it appears that all their computers on which bid-related business was conducted have been destroyed. I guess the moral is that once caught you may as well deny it and lose the evidence.